SSPG - Need or Wants for Wasdell?: We await the verdict on the Inlands Farm development appeal

The second aprt of the appeal hearing is now over and SSPG presented our closing case, alongside Swindon borough Council on 7th and 8th September.  Paul Griffiths for the Planning Inspectorate, followed the closing statements with two visits to locations referred to in the enquiry: Wanborough, Ridgeway and environs;  independently on 16th September, and then accompanied by representatives from SSPG, SBC and Wasdell on 17th September (including Wasdell at Blagrove).

At the appeal, John Moe skilfully presented the case for SSPG, covering 5 key areas of specific objections and evidence, namely;
- no compliance with classes of use,
- no viable case for a Science Park,
- no demonstration of economic benefit, 
- no compelling evidence to breach at least 12 planning policy principles,
- no justification for freehold requirement over and above alternative sites available,
and concluded that the Appellant has not shown a compelling case to justify overriding the many local and national planning policies for such a proposed development on this specific site.

Download our statement

Swindon Borough Council’s case was presented by Paul Stinchcome QC, with an expert articulation of the way in which the proposal overwhelmingly breached 12 of Swindons key planning principles, its development Strategy and the Local plan as a whole.  

Quote in summary “ Ours is a Plan-led system, not developer-led, and this is an entirely developer-led proposal - one which flies in the face of the Development Plan (the Swindon Borough Local Plan 2026 (CDF-1)) all to enable the Appellant to pursue not just its own expansion plans but, with it, an entirely speculative Science Park scheme for which there is no proven demand, let alone need”.

"Any benefits, speculative or real, could be generated elsewhere and in the right place - on available industrial land, whether in Swindon or elsewhere."

Download the SBC closing Statement

Wasdell’s case was presented by Neil Cameron QC, re-adffirming that there is a need for a Science Park and that Swindon should be grateful that Wasdell are offering to anchor it.  Much of the closing statement, looked to identify inconsistencies in evidence presented over some 13 days of hearing to undermine the Swindon Local plan and insisted that the adverse impacts in an area of non coalescence in the vicinity of an AONB were “negligible”.

Download the appellents Closing Statement

Decision Time

The Inpector will need ot review the hundreds of documents and thousands of pages of evidence, befroe dwaring his conclusions. Therefore a final decision by the planning inspectorate will not likely be available until the end of November.  

We will update you as soon as we are able.

Once again, our sincere thanks to you all  for your support and generosity with this appeal, and especially for keeping the signs and placards up around the village.